Client
CareerFoundry
My role
UX/UI Designer
UX Researcher
Timeline
November 2017 - July 2018
Tools
Sketch, Invision, Balsamiq
Summary
SEEDSHARE is an app that connects users with certified experts in any field to learn and grow. It is an individual project for my UX immersion certification at CareerFoundry. I designed SEEDSHARE from low-fidelity sketches to a high-fidelity prototype through a process of iterations.
Features
Search experts by category
View and rate expert profiles
Communicate with experts through voice and text chat
Schedule appointments for consultations
Apply to become an expert to earn money
For this project, I applied the Design Thinking methodology. Design Thinking is a multi-stage process focused on providing solutions to problems.
In the first step of the project, I recognized the difficulties that users faced when trying to find advice from experts. They had limited access to professional help, and traditional ways of connecting with experts were time-consuming. The situation was frustrating for users and prevented them from moving on to other activities in their lives.
To understand how users seek help from experts
To learn which apps the user likes and dislikes
To determine the user's attitude about seeking help from experts and what their expectations are
I conducted in-person interviews with 3 participants. Each session lasted about 20 minutes. Before the interviews, I created a script to guide the interaction. During the interviews, I would record the participants with their permission.
After the interviews concluded, I analyzed the recordings to learn about the participants' mindsets. Affinity mapping is an efficient tool to categorize data from different users. I used multi-colored sticky notes to represent the feedback from the participants. Then, I clustered the sticky notes based on common themes and repeating patterns.
After performing user research, I gathered helpful insights for my app.
The user needs a way to source information from verified experts in a particular field because the user wants to have viable solutions after the conversation. The user seeks help in developing a relationship with experts. The user wants to message, call or schedule a consultation with experts.
The user needs a way to source information from verified experts in a particular field because the user wants to have viable solutions after the conversation. The user seeks help in developing a relationship with experts. The user wants to message, call or schedule a consultation with experts.
In order to focus on my target audience, I created three user personas. My personas were fictional characters with detailed backgrounds, descriptions, and behavior. They included facts and information observed during research. I used the personas to guide design decisions on important features of my app based on their characteristics.
After creating user personas, I designed user journey maps to describe the steps my personas will perform in order to achieve a goal in SEEDSHARE. It also helped to visualize the experiences that the users had when interacting with my app.
The scenarios will tie to the specific users' needs:
After making the user personas and user journeys, I established objectives for SEEDSHARE.
Based on objectives of the app, I created user flows to demonstrate how to help the users complete different tasks by following steps.
To organize the content in SEEDSHARE, I used a technique called card sorting with OptimalSort, an online software tool. First, I made a list of content topics. Then, I performed the test by having five users organize topics into their own categories. With this feedback, I decided to enhance the structure of my app.
RESULTS
SITEMAP
This is an updated version of the sitemap after the card sorting sessions. It shows the main features of the app and how users might interact with the whole app. Additionally, it shows the relationships between each feature.
The purpose of my low-fidelity prototype is that it allows me to include all the core features of the app. It also saves time to not focus on the design aspect too much, but gear my attention towards the layout and navigation without distraction. Below are some hand-drawn sketches to illustrate how users can complete some main tasks in my app.
In this process, I added some of the UI elements of my app. However, it did not contain any color or graphics. This prevented distractions from the design process and focused more on perfecting the layouts of both mobile and desktop versions. I used Balsamiq to create this stage of my design. I also showcased how I want to implement my design decisions further such as adding a rating systems under expert's profiles, the distance between the expert location to user's current location, and articles written by experts.
The high-fidelity prototype shows every single detail of all design aspects from the layout to the content. It is not the final version of my app, but it shows how my app will look as an end-product. I used Sketch, which is an industry standard design tool, to design my high-fidelity prototype.
Search for experts by catogories
Users can search for experts by simply browsing through the Categories section or Feature experts. They can input the category that they want to search in the search field.
Search for experts by catogories
Users can search for experts by simply browsing through the Categories section or Feature experts. They can input the category that they want to search in the search field.
Search for experts by catogories
Users can search for experts by simply browsing through the Categories section or Feature experts. They can input the category that they want to search in the search field.
View and rate expert through a rating system
Users can read through the existing ratings for each expert. They can decide to give the expert a try and see what expetise that these professionals have to offer.
Schedule appointments for consultations
User can view through expert's profile to understand their specialization. They can develop the relationship with expert by sending them messgages regarding the questions that they have. They can have another option to continue booking based on expert's time schedule.
For the usability testing, I recruited 6 participants. I used two methods to test the users: moderated in-person and moderated remote. In the moderated in-person sessions, I tested the user on one laptop and used another laptop to take notes. In the moderated remote method, I communicated with the user through Skype or Facetime.
GOALS
The goal of this usability testing is learning about the user's behavior. I want to know what the user expects from an expert app, and how they interact with my app at the initial phase with the website and mobile app versions. I also would like to observe the user's behavior and body language when they explore some of the app's features, such as searching the experts, viewing an expert’s profile, and scheduling a call with an expert.
REPORT
After testing, here is the report of the issues that users had:
CHANGES
I already made all the change following users’ issue above:
Selected Works
Microsoft TeamsProduct Design, Desktop and mobile application
Human Health ProjectUX/UI Design, Branding, Web
Word of lifeUX/UI Design, Mobile App, iOS
Pacifier in the BackpackUX/UI Design, iOS
Perfect PropertiesVisual Design, Web, Mobile App, Tablet
SeedshareUX Design, iOS
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